Folding table.



F. L. HENIMER.

FOLDING TABLE. APPLICA'UON FILED MAY21, 191B.

Patented Apr. 29, 191.9.

2 SHEETSSHEET l w mum F. L. HEMM'ER.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI, 191B- L3@2,@4%, I Patented Apr. 29,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TE TATE PATENT FREDERICK L. HEMMER, OF LINCOLN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD '10 ALBERT HEMMER, OF LINCOLN, NEW J ERSEY.

roLnIne TABLE. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK L. HEM- MER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved folding table and has as its primary object to provide a device of this character which, when extended, will form a thoroughly rigid structure while, at the same time, the table may be folded to occupy a minimum space. V

The invention has as a further object to provide a table employing drop leaves and also employing supporting leg frames adapt ed to be swung beneath the drop leaves for rigidly supporting the said leaves and overcoming'likelihood of tilting of the table.

And the invention hasas a still further object to provide an arrangement wherein.

the supporting leg frames may be locked in extended position beneath the drop leaves of the table or may be folded into overlapping relation to be received between the said drop leaves when swung downwardly to inactive position.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds. In thedrawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my improved table with the drop leaves thereof extended,

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at substantially right angles to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the supporting leg frames,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the other of the supporting leg frames,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, this view particularly showing the manner in which the supporting leg frames of the table may be extended and locked in extended position,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing the manner in which the supporting leg frames may be swung to inactive position Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, f912.

Application filed May 21, 1918. Serial No. 235,858.

lying within the lines of the center panel of the table,

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 5 showing the table folded, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the cams employed for looking the supporting leg frames in extended position beneath the drop leaves of the table top.

In carrying out the invention my improved table is formed with a top including a fixed center panel 10 at opposite sides of which are side panels or drop leaves 11 swingingly connected to the longitudinal edges of thecenter panel by suitable hinges 12. As particularly brought out in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 of the drawings, the drop leaves 11 are substantially semi-circular and are movable to active position lying in a plane with the center panel, coacting therewith to pro vide a round table top. Connected to the center panel 10 at a point substantially midway of its ends is a center leg 13 formed at its upper end with a yoke 14 having spaced arms 15 abutting the center panel and receiving screws 16 threaded through the said panel and into the upper ends of the arms for rigidly connecting the center leg with the panel. As particularly shown in Fig. 7, the yoke 14 is arranged to extend transversely of the center panel and is of corresponding width while, as particularly shown in Fig. 5, the arms of the yoke are cut away upon their inner sides to provide reversely beveled vertical edges 17.

Pivoted upon the yoke 14 of the center leg 13 are crossed supporting leg frames 18 and 19 respectively, shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. Each of these frames includes complemental supporting legs 20 connected at their upper ends by a cross head 21 secured in any approved manner to the said legs and bifurcated at its ends to form downwardly inclined braces 22 for the legs. Formed in the upper edge of the cross head of the frame 18 medially of the said cross head, is a diagonal slot 23 and formed in the lower edge of the cross head of the frame 19 is a similar slot 24. The slot of one cross head is adapted to receive the portion of the other cross head at the slot therein, so that the cross heads thus intersect at the said slots to lie flush at their upper edges and fitted through the panel 10 of the table top, through the intersecting portions of the cross heads and into the yoke 14 of the center leg 13 is a vertical pin 25 pivotally connecting the leg frames with each other and with the center leg of the table. As will now be seen, the supporting leg frames may, owing to the inclination of the slots '23 and 2-l in the cross heads of the said frames, be swung to overlapping folded position as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, lying within the lines of the fixed panel 10 of the table top. Connected to the lower face of this panel adjacent one end thereof is a beveled stop block 26 adapted for engagement by the adjacent ends of the cross heads of the supporting leg frames for limiting the said frames in their movement to closed position. On the other hand, the supporting leg frames may be swung, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, to extended position disposed at substantially right angles to each other, when the cross heads of the said frames will engage the beveled edges-17 of the arms 15 of the yoke 14: of the center leg for limiting the said supporting leg frames in such position. Connected one to each of the drop leaves 11 of the table top is a pair of reversely presented and oppositely disposed stops 27 provided with shoulders 28 adapted for engagement with the supporting legs of the frame 18 when this frame is swung to extended position, and formed in one of said stops in the rear of the shoulder thereof is a vertical slot 29. Swingingly mounted upon one side of the adjacent leg of the frame, at the upper end of said leg, is a cam. 30 adapted to engage within the said slot for binding the supporting legs of the frame against the shoulders 28 of the stops and thus rigidly locking the said frame in extended position beneath the drop leaves. Secured one upon each of the drop leaves in a plane at substantially right angles to the stops 28 is a second pair of reversely presented and oppositely disposed stops 31 having shoulders 32 adapted for engagement by the supporting legs of the frame 19. Formed in one of the stops 31 in advance of the shoulder thereof is a vertical groove 33 and swingingly mounted upon one side of the adjacent leg of the frame at its upper end is a cam 34. corresponding to the cam 30 and adapted to engage within the said groove for binding the legs against the shoulders 32 of the stops and rigidly locking this frame in extended position beneath the drop leaves. The supporting leg frames may thus be easilyswung from folded position to extended position and readily locked in this latter position. Extending between the stops 27 and 31 upon each of the drop leaves is an arcuate rim or drop member 35 for the table top. As particularly shown in Fig. 5, the fixed panel 10 is also preferably provided at its ends with similar rim or drop members 36.

As will now be clear in view of the preceding description, my improved table may be readily folded by simply swinging the supporting leg frame to lie beneath the fixed panel 10 of the table top when the drop leaves 11 may, as shown in Fig. 7, be swung down at opposite sides of the center leg to rest against the side edges of the yoke 14 of the said leg. Thus, when so folded, the table will occupy a minimum space so that it may be readilystored or transported from place to place. WVhen extending the table top the drop leaves thereof are first swung upwardly to lie in a plane with the fixed panel 10 of the table top. The supporting leg frames are then swung to active position lying at substantially right angles to each other when, as shown in Fig. 5, the said frames will extend beneath the drop leaves with the legs of the frames disposed at quadrantly spaced points about the periphery of the table top. Thus the drop leaves will be rigidly supported by the said frames and likelihood of" tilting of the table effectually overcome. Having moved the supporting leg frames to active position, the cams 30 and 34 are then operated for locking these frames in such position, when a thoroughly rigid structure will be provided.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A folding table including a top having a fixed panel, drop leaves swingingly mounted atopposite side edges of the said panel and foldable to depend therefrom, crossed supporting leg framespivotally connected to the fixed panel, said frames being movable outwardly to active position projecting at opposite sides of thefixed panel for supporting the drop leaves in a plane therewith and being foldable inwardly to inactive position lying within the lines of the said panel, and cam means operable for wedging said frames in opposite directions to the limit of their outward movement in active position.

2. A folding table including a top having a fixed panel, drop leaves swingingly mounted at opposite side edges of the said panel and foldable to depend therefrom, crossed supporting leg frames pivotally connected to the fixed panel, said frames being movable outwardly to active position projecting at opposite sides of the fixed panel'for supporting" the drop leaves in a plane therewith and being foldable inwardly to inactive position lying within the lines of the said panel, stop means upon the drop leaves,- and meanscarried by the said frames for wedging the frames outwardly in opposite directions in engagement with said stop means and locking the frames in active position.

3. A foldingtableincludinga top having a fixed panel, drop leaves swingingly mounted at opposite sides edges of the said panel and foldable to depend therefrom, crossed supporting leg frames pivotally connected to the fixed panel, said frames being movable outwardly to active position projecting at opposite sides of the fixed panel for supporting the drop leaves in a plane therewith and being foldable inwardly to inactive position lying within the lines of the said panel, stops carried by the drop leaves, shoulders formed on said stops, the stops being formed with slots, and earns carried by the said frames and adapted for engagement in said slots for wedging the frames outwardly in opposite directions and binding the frames in engagement with said shoulders locked in active position.

4. A folding table including a tophaving a fixed panel, drop leaves swingingly mounted at opposite side edges of the said panel and foldable to depend therefrom, a center leg mounted upon the said panel, and supporting leg frames extending through and swingingly connected with the center leg, the said supporting leg frames being movable to active position projecting beneath the drop leaves for supporting the said leaves in a plane with the fixed panel and being foldable to lie within the lines of the said panel.

5. A folding table including a top having a fixed panel, drop leaves swingingly mounted at opposite side edges of the said panel and adapted to depend therefrom, a center leg connected to the fixed panel and provided with a yoke, and supporting leg frames having cross heads crossed within said yoke and pivotally connected therewith for swingingly supporting said frames upon the center leg, the said frames being movable to active position projecting beneath the drop leaves for supporting said leaves in a plane with the fixed panel and being foldable toinactive position lying Within the lines of said panel.

6. A folding table including a top having a fixed panel, drop leaves mounted at opposite side edges of said panel and foldable to depend therefrom, a center leg connected to said panel and formed at its upper end with a yoke having spaced yoke arms, and supporting leg frames having pivoted cross heads extending through the yoke between the arms thereof, said frames being movable to engage the cross heads thereof with said yoke arms for limiting the frames in active position extending beneath the drop leaves supporting said leaves in a plane with the fixed panel and being movable to inactive position lying within the lines of said panel.

7. A folding table including a top having a fixed panel, drop leaves mounted at opposite side edges of said panel and foldable to depend therefrom, a center leg connected to the panel and provided at its upper end with a yoke having spaced yoke arms, supporting leg frames having cross heads extending through the yoke between said arms, and means engaged at one end with the fixed panel and at its other with the yoke and extending through said cross heads for pivotally supporting the frames, the frames being movable to active position extending beneath said drop leaves for supporting the leaves in a plane with the fixed panel and being foldable to inactive position lying within the lines of said panel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FREDERICK L. HEMMER. [1,. 8.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

